GLENN YATES OF CLITHEROE DIES BEHIND BARS AFTER LONG STRUGGLE WITH HEALTH ISSUES

In July 2019, Glenn Yates, a convicted sex offender from Clitheroe, passed away while still in custody, marking the end of a long and complex legal and health saga. Yates, who was considered so dangerous due to the nature of his crimes that he was sentenced to an indefinite prison term, succumbed to health complications while incarcerated at Fazakerley prison.

Yates' criminal history is marked by heinous acts involving a 10-year-old girl. He was found guilty of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and possessing child abuse images. His actions inflicted profound and immeasurable harm on his young victim, a fact that was emphasized during his sentencing in 2009. The court described his conduct as driven by an entrenched sexual interest in young girls, and the judge highlighted the significant and incalculable damage caused by his offenses.

In 2009, Yates was handed an indeterminate sentence—an almost life-long imprisonment—with a minimum term of two years and 14 days. This sentence was designed to protect the public from a man deemed highly dangerous. Despite this, Yates was released on license in November 2015 after serving just over six years. His release was conditional, and he was expected to adhere to strict supervision and monitoring.

However, Yates' freedom was short-lived. In September of the following year, he breached his release conditions, leading to his recall to prison. His health issues became a concern during his incarceration at Fazakerley prison. Tests revealed blood and kidney problems, prompting a brief hospital stay in November 2018. After his hospital treatment, he was returned to Altcourse prison in Merseyside. Despite being discharged with an additional day's medication, the medication was not administered to him, which later became a point of investigation.

On the morning of November 25, 2018, Yates reported feeling unwell to a nurse around 8:30 am. A doctor's appointment was scheduled for later that morning, but due to staffing shortages, officers could not escort him to the healthcare unit until 10:15 am. His condition worsened rapidly, necessitating the use of a wheelchair. A doctor then arranged for him to be transported to a hospital by ambulance. During the ambulance transfer, Yates experienced further health deterioration, requiring oxygen therapy, and he was suspected of suffering a heart attack.

Subsequent investigations, including a post-mortem examination, revealed that Yates died from a blocked blood vessel in the lung, which was caused by kidney cancer and a blood clot in the major vein that carried blood from his legs. His death prompted an official inquiry by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, as is standard procedure in all deaths occurring in custody. The investigation, which was made public in 2019, concluded that the failure to administer the medication he was discharged with did not contribute to his death. Ombudsman Sue McAllister stated that the standard of care Yates received at Altcourse was comparable to what he could have expected in the community.

Steve Williams, the director at HM Prison Altcourse, expressed condolences, saying, “On 25 November 2018, Mr Yates sadly passed away in hospital. His loved ones remain in our thoughts.”

Yates' criminal activities and subsequent legal battles have been extensively documented. His crimes, committed in Clitheroe, involved the exploitation of a young girl and the possession of numerous indecent images of children. His actions caused lasting trauma to his victim, and his sentencing reflected the severity of his offenses. Despite attempts to appeal his sentence, Yates' bid for early release was ultimately unsuccessful.

In August 2014, Yates, then 41, failed in his appeal to overturn his potentially lifelong sentence. The Court of Appeal upheld the original decision, emphasizing the danger he posed to the public. The appeal court rejected his request to have his sentence reconsidered, affirming that the original sentence was appropriate given the circumstances and the risk he represented. The court also dismissed his subsequent requests for a review of his overall punishment, maintaining that his detention was justified to protect society from his dangerous behavior.

Throughout his incarceration, Yates remained a figure of concern due to the nature of his crimes and the risk of re-offending. His case has been a stark reminder of the challenges faced by the justice and prison systems in managing individuals convicted of such serious offenses. His death in custody closed a chapter marked by legal battles, health struggles, and the ongoing debate about the management of dangerous offenders.